Breast Reduction Chicago
Breast reduction is a procedure that removes excess fat and glandular tissue from the breasts in order to reach a size that is proportionate to other parts of the body. Also known as a reduction mammoplasty, breast reduction is equally useful for those who experience discomfort from overly large breasts. The weight of excess breast tissue can not only lead to physical issues, such as back problems and neck pain, but also emotional problems related to self-image and confidence.
AM I A CANDIDATE FOR BREAST REDUCTION?
If your breasts are overly large or overdeveloped to the point that they limit your physical activity, cause chronic pain, or are detrimental to your emotional wellbeing, you may be a candidate for breast reduction surgery.
The ideal candidates are in physically good health, non-smokers, and do not have any medical conditions that may affect the healing process. If you are uncertain whether or not breast reduction surgery is a viable option for you, schedule a consultation with a plastic surgeon that is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR CONSULTATION
When you schedule a consultation with the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago, a board-certified plastic surgeon will meet with you to discuss your aesthetic goals. You and your surgeon will review your medical history to see if you are a good candidate for a breast reduction. Be prepared to discuss any medications you are on, past surgeries, results of mammograms, and if your family history involves a risk of breast cancer.
Your plastic surgeon will evaluate your overall health and take measurements of your upper body to ascertain the size, shape, and skin quality of your breasts. Photographs are usually taken at this stage so that your plastic surgeon can perform a full evaluation and work with you to determine the best course of treatment to reach your ideal aesthetic goals.
Your plastic surgeon will recommend a course of treatment that is best for you and, if possible, present you with options. If you have any questions or concerns about the procedure, including recovery or potential risks, they should be discussed during the consultation.
HOW BREAST REDUCTION SURGERY IS PERFORMED
Breast reduction surgery is performed by removing excess fat, tissue, and skin from the breasts through surgical incisions. To begin, a general anesthetic is administered; then, the plastic surgeon makes incisions based on the desired results of the procedure. Typically, the incision sites are around the areola and include a vertical and/or horizontal incision at the fold underneath the breast (inframammary fold).
After the incisions are made, the underlying breast tissue is reduced, lifted, and shaped. The nipple and areola may need to be repositioned to a higher place on the breast for improved symmetry. In some cases, excess fat is removed by liposuction. Loose or excess skin may be removed to accommodate the now smaller breasts.
Sutures are layered within the breast tissue to help support the newly shaped breasts, and then the skin incisions are closed. The results of breast reduction will be apparent immediately following the procedure.
RECOVERY AFTER BREAST REDUCTION
Swelling and bruising of the breasts and incision sites are normal in the weeks following the procedure. A drain may be placed at the incision sites after surgery to remove any excess fluid. Usually an elastic bandage or surgical bra is necessary to maintain support while the breasts heal.
Your plastic surgeon will prescribe pain medication and issue post-surgical care instructions to ensure a safe recovery. You should avoid any rigorous exercise or exertion until your doctor clears you to return to your normal level of activity.
POTENTIAL RISKS OF BREAST REDUCTION SURGERY
Though the risks associated with breast reduction surgery are infrequent, any surgical procedure comes with potential complications. The risks associated with breast reduction may include:
- Infection
- Hematoma (blood clot)
- Changes in breast or nipple sensation
- Unfavorable scarring
- Breast asymmetry
The Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago takes every measure to minimize risk by using only the safest, most innovative techniques in aesthetic breast surgery. You can also reduce potential complications by carefully following all instructions from your plastic surgeon, both before and after the procedure.
WHAT DOES BREAST REDUCTION COST?
The average cost of breast reduction surgery in the United States is around $5,600, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The cost will vary, however, based on a number of factors, including but not limited to your geographic location, the plastic surgeon performing the procedure, and the extent of the necessary corrections.
Some health insurance providers will not cover the expense of breast reduction surgery. Be sure to speak with your plastic surgeon about all associated costs and payment options during your consultation.
SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION
If you believe that you are a candidate for a breast reduction, contact us at the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago to schedule a consultation. A board-certified plastic surgeon will talk with you about your aesthetic goals and discuss all treatment options available. We are as committed to patient education as we are to excellent patient care, and will be happy to answer any and all questions you may have about breast reduction surgery.
All surgical procedures by the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago are performed at top hospitals in Chicago and CMS or AAAASF-certified surgical centers for safety.
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Gym or surgery? This patient underwent hi-def liposuction or abdominal etching to improve the contour of the abdomen and to define the abdominal muscles. In the post-operative photos, the patient has natural washboard abs. Posted with permission.
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Long term follow-up on a revision mastopexy augmentation case. The patient had a previous augmentation with gel implants and wanted the implants removed, breasts lifted, and re-augmented with fat but downsized. The patient underwent explantation of the implants, a capsulectomy, a breast lift, and fat transfer to augment the breasts. In the post-operative photos, you can see the breast/nipples are lifted to a more aesthetic position and we were able to maintain volume, although smaller, with fat transfer alone. This patient has a very natural result using only fat from her abdomen to restore volume. Posted with permission.
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1 year follow-up on a primary rhinoplasty. This patient’s goals were a straighter profile, smaller and more refined tip, and a nose that was not drastically different. In the post-operative photos you can see the dorsal hump was removed and the nasal bones narrowed, the tip was refined, rotated, and projected more. Overall, still her nose but more refined and aesthetic. Posted with permission.
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Early follow-up on a #facialmasculinization surgery for a trans male who wanted to improve the contour of the lower 1/3 of the face and neck. The patient underwent a sliding #genioplasty, custom #mandibularimplants, and #neckliposuction to achieve his goals. We used computer software to design the cuts in the bone and #3Dprinting to make the custom mandibular implants. Can you see the improved contour of the chin, jawline, and neck in the post-operative photos? Posted with permission.
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1 year follow-up on a patient who wanted fuller and more symmetric breasts after having deflation with pregnancy. The patient is athletic and therefore it was very important to her to have a smaller augmentation that appeared natural. The patient underwent a breast augmentation with gel implants (250 cc) through a periareaolar incision and in a submuscular plane. Posted with permission.
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This patient had a full thickness nasal defect of the left nostril after a skin cancer was removed by our Dermatology colleagues. Even though the wound is relatively small, this is a challenging reconstruction because all layers of the nose have to be rebuilt without making the reconstructed area bulky and noticeable. Also, you have to make the area strong enough so that the nostril doesn’t collapse as the area heals and scars. Posted with permission.
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A 1 year follow-up on a patient who wanted a rhinoplasty to remove the dorsal hump and improve the aesthetics of her tip. In this case the dorsal hump was removed, the nose made straighter, the tip refined, and the tip rotated and projected more. Her new nose fits her face without overtly changing the ethnic features of her face. Posted with permission.
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Proud of our research team for getting this important manuscript published in the #1 plastic surgery journal in the world. In this study, we looked at the published literature to develop guidelines on how to treat visual impairments related to droopy eyelids and excess skin of the eyelids.
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Happy for this patient who underwent full facial rejuvenation surgery, which included a brow lift, upper/lower blepharoplasty, facelift, neck lift, and facial fat transfer. How much younger does he look now? Posted with permission.
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Amazing transformation for this lovely patient who wanted to have fuller, more symmetric, youthful, and natural breasts. The patient underwent a #breastaugmentation with gel implants. Posted with permission.
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One year follow-up on a #BBL or Brazilian butt lift. As you can see from the post-operative photos, the fat that is transferred stays and is permanent. Posted with permission.
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Male patient in his late 60’s who was able to turn back the clock after undergoing a #facelift, #neck lift, #blepharoplasty, and #fattransfer. Pay close attention to the “bags” underneath the eyes, the jawline, and neck. The scars have healed nicely and are inconspicuous even with short hair. In the post-operative photos, the patient has maintained his natural facial features and anatomy, but just looks like a more youthful version of himself. Posted with permission.
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We had a great time hosting the 60th Annual Midwestern Association of Plastic Surgeons (MAPS) meeting in Chicago this past weekend, where I finished my tenure as president. We had expert panels and speakers from around the country and over a hundred abstract presentations from fellows, residents, and medical students. We also had the largest overall attendance in recent memory. The MAPS organization is great hands and I am excited about its future!
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#Primaryrhinoplasty to fix the dorsal hump, droopy tip, and crooked nose. In the post-operative photos, the patient has a nice dorsal profile on side view, the tip has been lifted, and the nose is straight. To evaluate how straight the nose is, look at the dorsal aesthetic lines on bird’s eye view and follow the two light reflexes along the dorsum. Posted with permission.
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Challenging #tertiaryrhinoplasty on this patient who had nasal deviation, a dorsal hump, and an under-rotated/under-projected tip. In the post-operative photos, you can see a straighter nose with more symmetric dorsal aesthetic lines and tip defining points. Posted with permission.
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Honored to be inducted into the Rhinoplasty Society. The Rhinoplasty Society was founded in 1996 by plastic surgeons who have pioneered modern rhinoplasty. The society is dedicated to the education and advancement of nasal surgery.
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Relatively small surgeries can yield big changes. This patient wanted to improve the contour of her chin and the overall profile of her face. The patient’s lower 1/3 of the face and chin were short and set back. Additionally, the patient had asymmetries of the chin and jawline that she wanted improved. The patient underwent a #slidinggenioplasty to achieve these goals where the chin was cut and mobilized forward and downward. In the post-operative photos, you can see a more aesthetic and balanced facial profile. The advantages of a #genioplasty over a #chinimplant are that the chin can be moved in numerous planes, the advancement can be more significant, and asymmetries can be addressed. Posted with permission.
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This patient had a bilateral constricted ear deformity where the top portion of the ear folds over the rest of the ear. In this deformity, the ear appears shorter in height and there are abnormalities of the outer and inner folds of the ear. In the postoperative photos you can visualize the ear is longer in height, the helical rim or outer portion of the ear is lifted up and the antihelical fold or inner portion of the ear is more defined. Posted with permission.
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Challenging #breastaugmentation case where the patient had asymmetries of the breasts in terms of size, shape, and position on the chest. The patient underwent a breast augmentation with #gelimplants with a larger size in the left breast to balance the size difference. The left breast fold was also lowered to match the fold level of the right. Posted with permission.
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Plastic surgery can sometimes be subtle or dramatic. In this case, this patient’s outcome was life altering after a lipoabdominoplasty or tummy tuck. The patient can now do all of the things in life that she was limited in doing due to her body habitus. Posted with permission.
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